Serving Bowl with Cooling Means

ABSTRACT

A serving bowl having cooling means for maintaining food at a low temperature. The serving bowl includes a bowl having one or more recessed areas on a sidewall thereof. The recessed areas removably receive one or more panels in which a refrigerant is enclosed. The panels can be placed in a freezer or refrigerator so as to lower the temperature of the refrigerant therein, and the panels can then be removably secured to the bowl such that the panels cool the bowl and the food therein. The panels are securable to the recessed areas on the exterior of the sidewalls of the bowl and are secured via a press fit or frictional fit. The base of the bowl may further include a recessed area and a panel removably securable thereto.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/069,501 filed on Oct. 28, 2014. The above identified patentapplication is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety toprovide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to food serving bowls. More specifically,the present invention provides a serving bowl having cooling means,wherein the device comprises a bowl having a plurality of recessed areason the sidewalls and base thereof. The recessed areas are adapted toreceive panels that enclose a refrigerant, wherein the panels help tocool the bowl and the contents thereof.

Many types of food are intended to be served cold or chilled, such assalads, dips, fruit, and vegetables among others. However, once the foodis removed from a refrigerator, the food becomes warm due to exposure toambient temperatures. The food can become unpalatable if it becomes toowarm, and as the temperature increases, bacteria can begin to grow onthe food rendering it unsafe for consumption. Ensuring that food remainscooled or chilled is particularly problematic at outdoor events, such aspicnics, barbecues, and other types of parties.

In order to keep food cold while outdoors, many people place the servingbowl in a larger bowl filled with ice. However, the ice can quickly meltpreventing the food from remaining cool for an extended period of time.Further, as the ice melts, water can begin to spill from the larger bowland the water may also spill into the serving bowl in which the food ispositioned. Thus, maintaining the serving bowl at a low temperatureusing ice alone can be ineffective.

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to food storagecontainers. These include devices that have been patented and publishedin patent application publications. U.S. Published Patent ApplicationNumber 2011/00136744 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,793 relate to removablefrozen inserts for containers. Other devices, such as U.S. Pat. No.8,695,373, U.S. Pat. No. 8,800,806, and U.S. Published PatentApplication Number 2007/0180850 relate to containers have refrigerantmaterial therein.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The devices in theprior art fail to disclose a bowl having removable panels with arefrigerant therein. Some devices provide containers or bowls havingrefrigerant material therein. However, these devices can be inconvenientto use as the entire bowl must be placed in a refrigerator or freezer,wherein the bowl consumes considerable space. Further, the user maydesire to use the bowl without it first being cooled or frozen. Otherdevices with removable freezable sections do not disclose a containerhaving recessed areas adapted to receive the freezable sections suchthat the freezable sections do not obstruct the interior volume of thebowl.

In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted thatthe present invention substantially diverges in design elements from theprior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the artfor an improvement to existing serving bowl devices. In this regard theinstant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofbowls with cooling means now present in the prior art, the presentinvention provides a new serving bowl having cooling means wherein thesame can be utilized for providing convenience for the user whenmaintaining food at a low temperature while the food is being served.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved bowl device having cooling means that has all of the advantagesof the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bowl devicehaving cooling means comprising a bowl having a plurality of recessedareas adapted to removably receive panels in which a refrigerant isenclosed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowl devicehaving cooling means wherein one or more panels are removably securableto the bowl and wherein the panels enclose a refrigerant that is adaptedto remain at a low temperature for an extended period of time afterbeing refrigerated.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bowl devicehaving cooling means comprising a bowl having a plurality of recessedareas disposed on the exterior of the sidewalls of the bowl.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowl devicehaving cooling means that may be readily fabricated from materials thatpermit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the bowl of thepresent invention having panels positioned for securement.

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the bowl of thepresent invention having panels secured thereon.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the underside of an embodiment of thebowl.

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of a panel of the bowl.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the bowl of the present invention. For the purposes ofpresenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, thepreferred embodiment will be discussed as used for maintaining food at acool temperature while the food is being served. The figures areintended for representative purposes only and should not be consideredto be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, there are shown perspective views ofthe bowl of the present invention with panels as positioned forinsertion and as secured to the bowl, respectively. The serving bowl 11comprises a bowl 12 having a base 13, sidewalls, and an open upper end14, defining an interior volume 15. In the illustrated embodiment, thebowl 12 comprises a circular configuration, however in alternateembodiments the bowl 12 comprises other configurations, such as an oval,square, or rectangular configuration.

The exterior of the sidewall of the bowl 12 comprises one or morerecessed areas 16 thereon. Each recessed area 16 is adapted to removablyreceive a panel 17 therein. Preferably, the recessed areas 16 arearranged around the entirety of the bowl 12, such that the sidewall ofthe bowl 12 is substantially covered by recessed areas 16. The recessedareas 16 and panels 17 comprise a wedge-like configuration, andpreferably the recessed areas 16 are of the same size and shape as oneanother. In this way, any panel 17 can be placed in any recessed area16.

The panels 17 are preferably secured within the recessed areas 16 via apress fit or frictional fit, such that no additional fasteners arerequired. In this way, the user can easily insert and remove the panels17 by pressing the panels 17 into position within the recessed areas 16.Once the panels 17 are inserted within the recessed areas 16, theexterior surface of the panel 17 is flush with the sidewall of the bowl12 so that the bowl 12 has a continuous and uniform exterior surface.

In operation, the user can refrigerate one or more panels 17 so as tolower the temperature of a refrigerant material stored therein. Therefrigerant is adapted to remain cool for an extended period of timeonce removed from refrigeration. After refrigerating the panels 17, theuser can remove the panels 17 and can insert the panels 17 into therecessed areas 16 of the bowl 12. The refrigerant allows the panels 17to remain cool for an extended period of time after being removed from arefrigerator. In this way, the panels 17 serve to cool the bowl 12 andthe contents thereof, so that the food within the bowl can remain at alow temperature while the food is being served.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of theunderside of an embodiment of the bowl. The base 13 of the bowl 12 alsoincludes a recessed area 18. Preferably, the recessed area 18 iscircular so as to cover a substantial portion of the base 13 of the bowl12. A base panel 19 is provided that is removably securable within therecessed area 18. The base panel 19 serves to cool the base 13 of thebowl 12 to further cool the contents of the bowl 12. Similar to thesidewall panels, the base panel 19 encloses a refrigerant materialadapted to maintain a low temperature when cooled.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a cross sectional view of apanel of the bowl. Each panel 17 comprises an outer wall 20 defining ahollow interior volume. The panels 17 are shaped so as to fit securelywithin the recessed areas of the bowl. When the panel 17 is insertedinto the recessed area, a wall of the panel rests flush against therecessed area. Thus, the panels 17 have a slight curvature so as tomatch the curvature of the bowl on which they are to be positioned.

The interior volume is filled with a refrigerant 21, and preferably arefrigerant gel. The refrigerant is adapted to reach a low temperaturewhen placed in a refrigerator or freezer. Further, the refrigerant isadapted to remain at a low temperature when removed from a refrigeratoror freezer. Any of various types of conventional refrigerants can beused. Preferably, the refrigerant is non-toxic so that if anyrefrigerant escapes a panel, users will not be harmed by exposure to therefrigerant.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown anddescribed in what is considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be madewithin the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications willoccur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the abovedescription then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensionalrelationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations insize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assemblyand use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in theart, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in thedrawings and described in the specification are intended to beencompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim: 1) A bowl having cooling means, comprising: a bowl having abase, a sidewall, and an interior volume; one or more recessed areas onsaid sidewall; one or more panels removably securable within said one ormore recessed areas, wherein said one or more panels enclose arefrigerant. 2) The bowl having cooling means of claim 1, wherein saidbowl comprises a circular configuration. 3) The bowl having coolingmeans of claim 1, wherein said one or more recessed areas are disposedon an exterior of said sidewall. 4) The bowl having cooling means ofclaim 1, further comprising one or more recessed areas on said base ofsaid bowl. 5) The bowl having cooling means of claim 1, wherein said oneor more panels each comprises an interior volume in which saidrefrigerant is positioned. 6) The bowl having cooling means of claim 1,wherein said one or more panels are removably securable to said one ormore recessed areas via press fit.